Results of MSICS Cataract Surgical Camps – A Case of Tansania

Interesting paper on results of eye surgical camp in Tansania. The results of 42 surgeries show that only 14% of patients at the postoperative day 5-9 have gotten a visual acuity > 0,3. That is unusually low in comparison to our experience in Zambia and to the results published elsewhere in the literature. The case may be due to, as indeed stated in the paper, the highly complicated cases (i.e., also poor selection of cases), and occasionally the quality of the technique and instruments used.

Sumbawanga Augencamp follow-up Studie 2019

Results

A total of 42 postoperative patients from the eye camp could be examined within 5–9 days after cataract sugery. The following parameters were found: median postoperative visual acuity 0.26, spherical equivalent −2.82 dpt, astigmatism −2.2 dpt, axis 113°. Visual acuity >0.3 in 14.2% (WHO 80%), vision 0.1–0.3 in 62% (WHO 15%), vision <0.1 in 23.8% (WHO 5%). Prolonged healing time and intraocular irritation in 29% of the cases.

Conclusion

Although the vision improved, the results are sobering when taken in the context of the WHO guidelines. The postoperative refraction showed a myopic shift and an high level of astigmatism. The reasons are manifold: ocular comorbidities, limited diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities in a nonclinical setting. Other factors are the kind of training of the staff in the camp, the difficult circumstances and advanced findings. Consideration of the results of this study is imperative to be able to measure the quality of the work and to create the potential to make future improvements.